LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN Street-related Parks Wells Hill Park Wells Hill Park is a .75 ha (1.9 ac) public park bounded on three sides by streets - Hilton Avenue, St. Clair Avenue West and Wells Hill Avenue. The open and positive relationship to these streets projects a welcoming and comfortable image. First developed sometime after 1924, the park now includes a large open lawn area, children’s’ playground, wading pool benches and other amenities. Paved walkways criss-cross the park, providing access to the park to amenities as well as convenient shortcuts to local destinations. The park is well-planted with mature deciduous trees along the street frontages and through the southern half of the site. The park is well-used and clearly an important resource for many people. Figure 87: Hillcrest School - Hilton Avenue Frontage Figure 88: Wells Hill Park - View from Wells Hill Avenue 81 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN Wells Hill Lawn Bowling Club Established in 1929, the Wells Hill Bowling Club has been a fixture since the early development of the neighbourhood. Fronting onto two streets - Wells Hill Avenue and Melgund Road, the site enjoys good visibility and projects a positive image to the public realm. The Club is actively promoting membership among a broader demographic. Figure 89: Wells Hill Lawn Bowling Club Casa Loma Parkette Casa Loma Parkette was developed as a public park sometime after 1950. It is an open lawn with a two shade trees and a couple of benches. Of particular interest is the parks’ visual relationship with the Casa Loma Stables, which define the north and west limits of the space. The park enjoys a positive relationship to Walmer Road, which is defined by the remnant piers from the former fence. The park’s presentation is not helped by the trash receptacle, which is unfortunately located front and centre. Figure 90: Casa Loma Parkette Spadina Road Parkette Spadina Road Parkette is an open lawn with shade trees and one bench. The space is well-defined on two sides with vegetation prominent. A utilitarian guard rail defines the north side of the park along Russel Hill Drive. The park is seldom used, perhaps because of its relationship to a very busy street, or its relative lack of amenities. Figure 91: Spadina Road Parkette 82 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN Austin Terrace Boulevard Austin Terrace Boulevard is a small green space that was created when the intersection with Walmer Road was severed. The space features a few shade trees and shrubs, a small lawn and connecting sidewalks. There are no user amenities, and the space shows little use apart from pedestrian transit. Figure 92: Austin Terrace Boulevard Baldwin Steps Steps up the Davenport Escarpment along the Spadina Road alignment have been in place since the late 19th Century. The current concrete and steel steps were built in 1987 by the City of Toronto. The steps include decorative plantings and a series of landings, and offer great views down the Spadina Avenue corridor to the lake. The landscape connecting the steps to Spadina Road to the north is a linear park with lawns, shade trees, furnishings and a central walkway. Both the steps and the parkette are heavily used. Figure 93: Baldwin Steps Figure 94: Baldwin Steps Parkette 83 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN Ravine/Escarpment Parks Spadina Park Spadina Park is the southern portion of the Spadina Museum property, and extends from south of the mansion to Davenport Road. Spadina Park is only accessible through the museum. As such, it is fenced and closed after hours. The northern half of the park is a manicured, picturesque landscape with open lawns and large, mature trees, both deciduous and coniferous. The organization of the northern landscape is informal with vegetation masses defining a series of connected spaces. A lookout is located at the south end of the landscape. The southern portion of Spadina Park is made up of the Davenport Escarpment landscape. It is extremely steep and heavily vegetated. Views from the lookout above are generally screened by this vegetation. Figure 95: Spadina Park 84 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN Boulton Parkette Boulton Parkette includes both escarpment and street- related park. The site consists of the escarpment along the east side of Glen Edith Drive and a narrow stretch of lawn parallel to Boulton Drive. The escarpment is steep and well- vegetated. The lawn area has some shade trees and a few benches. At the south end, a walkway with steps connects Boulton Parkette to the Glen Edith Drive Parkette at the intersection of Glen Edith Drive and Cottingham Road. Figure 96: Boulton Parkette Roycroft Park Lands The Roycroft Park Lands is a small portion of a larger ravine system that extends northwest to St. Clair Avenue West and beyond. The Park Lands are part of a ravine park system that is visually quite separate from the surrounding neighbourhoods. Measures are being taken to further re-naturalize the vegetation. A gravel pathway carries pedestrians and cyclists through the site. The entire south side of the site is defined by a continuous steep and vegetated escarpment. Houses along Glen Edith Drive above back onto the escarpment, but are not visible from below. The entrance to Roycroft Park Lands at Boulton Drive is quite open and welcoming. Mown lawns with shade trees extend some distance into the site. Figure 97: Roycroft Park Lands at Boulton Drive Further to the west, the naturalized vegetation encloses the path on both sides. The experience here is very much one of passing through a dense forest. Because it is part of larger system, the Roycroft Park Lands are heavily used for cycling, strolling and dog-walking. Figure 98: Roycroft Park Lands 85 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND URBAN DESIGN SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS Figure 99: 17 Wells Hill Avenue The Casa Loma neighbourhood is a distinct city precinct Estates and Institutions with a unique and identifiable character. The physical • The three main signature institutions - Sisters Servant extent of the neighbourhood is clearly defined by the of Mary Immaculate (SSMI), Casa Loma (and Stables) escarpments, and by Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West. Casa Loma neighbourhood is widely known across and Spadina Museum - are former estates that serve the City due to its established and prestigious character, as key landmarks and speak directly to the historical and by virtue of the presence of Casa Loma from which it development of the area. draws its name. • The typical development pattern consists of historical buildings set in expansive grounds that feature open The neighbourhood’s role in Toronto’s history is evidenced lawns, mature shade trees and decorative plantings. by the presence of the heritage estates and institutions, • The frontage landscapes of Casa Loma have been given by the nature and layout of the street network, and by the character of the houses, many of which date from the early over almost entirely to parking and circulation. 20th Century. • The relationship to the public domain varies: Casa Loma is open to the street, and invites entry; SSMI and The following is a summary of the neighbourhood’s key Spadina Museum are closed off and offer only glimpses landscape features. from the street. That sense of exclusivity augments their dignified, privileged character. Street Character Parks and Open Spaces • Streets are very well-treed; predominance of hardwoods with many oaks. • Private open spaces - front yards and estate • Street character is informal and diverse. grounds - are expansive and very important to the • Large, mature trees in private back yards contribute to neighbourhood character. the street experience. • The vegetated escarpments are important features: • Large lots, large buildings with varied setbacks that they define the neighbourhood as a discrete physical create sometimes deep and typically varied front area, and contribute an air of undisciplined nature that lawns. sets off the calm and cultured private properties. • Front yard parking is prominent throughout the • The public parks - Casa Loma Parkette and Spadina neighbourhood, but is only visually absorbed into the Road Parkette - are fairly attractive public amenities, but largest front lawns. they are more recent, and not significant elements in the neighbourhood’s heritage character. 86 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE CHARACTER ANALYSIS 5. CHARACTER ANALYSIS 87 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE CHARACTER ANALYSIS Figure 100: A Map of the character areas within the Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study Area Munc Bound To Yk S C Av W R N o Bthurs S Bthurs rd he im Lynw Ave e r Ra V R R v in e T rl S R S R R R P By B Ave Helena Ave Warr R Warr Sir W Hilt Ave R D in s C Ave to n A Ave C h u r W Ave W c h i N S ll P a rk T rl Burnside Dr Lyndhurs Ave Lyndhurs Roy cro ft P ark r Austin Ter La D n ds e T d r i l s n r W R W Bu Austin Ter r D n Austin Ter o lt u o B d R s n i a l P r D r a W RW h l t p y o e d P v Dv R E A l n l e e l A Ave G rtn Cottingham Rd a Ho Ave Hur SHur D Hilton Avenue area Walmer Road area Casa Loma area Wells Hill Avenue area Sadina Road area Lyndhurst Court area Lyndhurst Avenue area Glen Edyth area Austin Crescent area 88 Casa Loma Heritage Conservation District Study | Report | July, 2018 EVOQ ARCHITECTURE CHARACTER ANALYSIS Character Analysis BUILT FORM The Casa Loma neighbourhood developed later when The character analysis of the HCD study area was compared to its surrounding neighbourhoods with conducted in two stages.